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Great concept needs improvement
I've read 2 books on the Kindle. Generally, it's great. However, I have some suggestions for future development:1. There is no reason for the "Previous Page" & "Next Page" tabs to run the nearly the full-length of the Kindle. In holding or maneuvering the Kindle, I often accidently touch these tabs causing problems.2. Why is the on-off switch located on the back of the Kindle? It's awkward to get to when it is in the book cover.3. A touch-screen would be nice.4. The scroll wheel is somewhat archaic. | 23 stars
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Jane Austen's finest novel!
Pride and Prejudice is a great classic and should be read by anyone who enjoys Victorian Romance. The beautiful, intelligent, head strong Elizabeth Bennet has finally met her match in the arrogant, proud Mr. Darcy. Their tumultuous romance is extremely humorous and delightful to read.Although Jane Austen was a talented novelist, she was harshly criticized during her day for writing about marriage and the social life of well-bred, 19th century British women as opposed to more serious topics such as the French and American revolutionary wars. I however, believe that Ms. Austen was ahead of her time, exploring the world of gender politics with every witty heroine she created.Pride and Prejudice is a timeless tale that is just as enjoyable today as it was centuries ago. In fact, You may notice that this story is very influential in modern films and books, most recently in Bridget Jones's Diary. I recommend it highly! | 45 stars
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Dissappointing
I love the Drake series. I started with Libby and decided to see what started the series, so bought Abigail and Sarah...I was so dissapointed in this book. It is so short and completely undeveloped. After reading Libby and Abigails stories which were amazing and well thoughtout with well developed characters, this one was a huge dissappointment. Maybe the problem was that I was going backwards and the series was not really thought out until Abigails book. I would skip this book and go straight to Abigails book (Oceans of Fire) instead. Really...you are not missing anything. | 23 stars
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Good from beginning to end
If you like the quiet of the woods, you'll be there when Bob is hunting. If you know the intensity of combat, you will feel it again when Bob fights his battles. If you have a sense of justice, you'll wish this book had no ending. I really liked it! | 45 stars
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Can't wait to read the next Fannie Flagg book!
Loved this book. The story line can apply to just about anyone's family and the characters are so unique and individual. Wonderful reading. | 45 stars
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You on a diet
The book is alright but mostly just tips on eating healthy and giving you information about how your body works. Not much new information for people trying to lose weight before. Nice humour while giving you tips but nothing special in the diet book area. | 23 stars
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ANOTHER SHAARA HIT
While I enjoyed his last book, To The Last Man, immensely, The Rising Tide further raises the bar as far as Shaara's writing is concerned.This book tackles characters we have read and heard about in history classes and seen in documentaries but hardly know aside from what they have accomplished during the WWII. In this book, Shaara gives us the fly-on-the wall view of how situations developed as America gradually saw its' indoctrination to the war in Europe.We are given a very human view of The Desert Fox, Erwin Rommel, one of Germany's most brilliant generals at that time. While historical and scholastic texts gloss on his achievements, they have not delved deeper into the man's psyche as Shaara does in the book. One almost forgets that he fought for Nazi Germany as he stands out as one of the more noble generals on either side.It was also enjoyable to see Eisenhower in pre-Overlord times and go through his experiences as a commander unused to running a show given to him by George Marshall. His progression as someone whose confidence continues to grow with each misstep the unblooded American army makes is quite compelling. This makes for a wonderful backdrop considering just how big a role he will play as the war goes on for another 3 years.Almost as enjoyable is reading about the flamboyant and tough-as-nails George Patton. One gets a wonderful sense of just how confident the man was but at the same time, someone who was out-of-control in certain situations.Those looking for an alternative to history books in learning about World War II and America's early involvement in it can do themselves a favor by reading The Rising Tide. This book is engrossing and follows the mantra, "leave them asking for more."This is certainly what Jeff Shaara has done with his latest opus.I'm looking forward to next book, The Steel Wave. | 45 stars
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The Jesus Paper's
I haven't read it yet. And probably won't right away cause i'm reading something else. | 01 star
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Gresham's law for intellect.
Think tanks most often provide "commissioned" sources for policy makers and ideologues or "hired guns" like attorneys for the rich. Like the Gresham's Law describing how bad adulterated currency drives out the good; these sources generally provide adulterated thinking rather than quality dialog and solid logic. They are a source of intellectual decline. Heritage sponsored promotion of this book. One is reminded of flags on lapels of those who undermine the Constitution while rhetorically exaggerating their defense of American freedoms.Myrna Blyth's book is an example which also suggests that people, reading less, have lost much of their critical capacity while seeing what they believe and wanting confirmation of their bias rather than a rational challenge. The purpose is to create little patriots with heroes and selective history.Her methods and examples exemplify, despite pretense, brainwashing more than enlightenment. Too strong? Consider the ironies (lost on the author) that idealizing American democracy should require books to write more about the Moon landing (technology) rather than detailing Iran Contra and similar policies. She also writes that more teaching of history and rational discussion are needed - but then dismisses as unworthy of debate the arguments of the "Communist" Howard Zinn. She also seems to ignore that the decline of teaching history is itself part of the educational policy of creating technicians and worker automatons who lack the desire, habit, and capacity to question authority.Some of the most incredibly stupid statements and policies have been accepted, against all independent logic, from just such "patriotism". As Lincoln noted, most of the people can be fooled most of the time - especially with this kind of "patriotic" education. One might be reminded that Fascism is built on extreme nationalism and the coaltion of government and the military industrial complex (to use Eisenhower's term).One might also consider that idealization of heroes is like war memorials - designed to forget all but myths and so ignore the errors and crimes of governments. Reagan is responsible for the terrorism of the School of the Americas, Iran-Contra, assassinations and not by any means the sole reason for Soviet decline. Ford was a nice guy but pardoned a scoundrel, supported the Chilean intervention (installing more like Fascism than democracy), and Timor genocide. Ideas have consequences and our leaders have no fear of judgment for their crimes or mistakes. Phony heroes destroy America and false patriotism is cancerous. Concentrate on reality and things we can legitimately be proud of. Flags can make Nazis as easily as free peoples. As Mark Twain said, one can always love one's country while still only sometimes its government. | 01 star
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A PREMIER READING OF A CLASSIC
How do you define a classic? Some might say that which stands the test of time. By that definition alone Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights" merits the designation of classic. To the best of my knowledge it has been made into four films. I've not seen them all but would surely recommend the version starring Sir Laurence Olivier, Merle Oberon and David Niven. It has been assigned reading in countless high school and college classroom, and printed throughout the world in numerous editions.Now, Penguin Audio gives us the opportunity to enjoy this story of love not meant to be in a superb audio edition read by Prunella Scales and Samuel West. Fans of the incredibly popular BBC series "Fawlty Towers" will remember Scales as Sybil. Here, she is Cathy incarnate and a prime narrator when assuming the voice of Nelly Dean. A popular actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company, West brings both pathos and drama to the hopes and final bitter heartbreak found in Heathcliff.As we hear in the voices of Mr. Lockwood and housekeeper Nelly Dean, Heathcliff was an orphan with no home to call his own so he came to Wuthering Heights where he is not only given shelter but also friendship by Catherine Earnshaw, daughter of the wealthy owner. But, eventually Heathcliff asks for more than friendship - he proposes marriage. When he is cruelly rebuffed his love turns to a desire for revenge.How sad that Emily Bronte lived for only 30 years. How fortunate for us that her legacy is the incomparable "Wuthering Heights."- Gail Cooke | 45 stars
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A neglected gem
I am somewhat embarrassed to admit that until recently I had never heard of this book. However, I saw it on Harold Bloom's list of books comprising the "Western Canon" and, since I like Collins, I decided to read it. What I find! I am at a loss to understand why this book is not better known, because in this book Collins truly rivals Dickens in plot development and characterization. "The Moonstone" and "The Woman in White" are classics, but "No Name" is better. Yet it is almost unknown, and I understand that for a long time it was out of print.The less you know about this book the better. This is because it is one of the most ingeniously plotted books I have ever read, so it is best to be taken by surprise with the plot twists. Suffice it to say that it is about two sisters in a well to do Victorian household who discover, after both their parents die in fairly short order, that they are illegitimate and have no rights of inheritance. Norah, the older sister, passively accepts her fate and finds work as a governess, but Magdalen, the younger sister and the book's central character, becomes obsessed with revenge and with getting back the fortune which is rightfully hers. In this she is assisted by a charming rogue named Horatio Wragge. Read the book and see what happens! I think you'll agree that it is one of the best reads of your life. | 45 stars
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great book.... now what's next?
Personally, I thought this was another great Turtledove book. I love how he twists history into these alternate images, for they are the way things could have ended. I think Turteldove is a great writer and it's sad to see that everytime a good book like "Breakthroughs" comes out that people have to snipe at it and criticize it for not being perfect. Im no high-minded history professor who knows the shoe size of every soldier who fought in WWI, but I know enough to imagine that Turtledove knows his history as well as can be expected. That's the biggest thing in his books, imagination. All it takes is a little imagination and these stories really come alive, that's how I see it. "Breakthroughs" really moves too, it doesn't seem to bog down and has several twists in the plot to keep you reading all the way to the end. The characters are still numerous and several of them stand out in this novel, such as Jake Featherston, the disgruntled Confederate artilleryman and Irving Morell, a U.S. colonel who becomes a barrel commander and is my favorite character from the series, he's intelligent and I see him (as well as Featherston) becoming major players in the next story. It would be nice to see more information on the war as it happened in Europe, but I think that would sort of be like telling it how it really happened, since this is alternate history, it probably is better if the story is not so embroiled in the war in Europe. Imagining it happening in your backyard and directly effecting you... It adds a new flavor to the situation. (... | 45 stars
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4 out of 5 aint bad
One of the reviewers on this site noted that all of the reviews he saw either gave this book 5 stars or 1 star. Well, I'm breaking the mold and giving it 4.It is depressing to read this book, in the same way that it is depressing to read one of Noam Chomsky's political books. It just makes American government out to be so bad. I can't say it's not true. I can't say with any confidence that Moore's paranoia and negativism are unjustified.I'm a listener of listener-sponsored WBAI radio. It is the bastion of liberalism on radio. Moore has been on, and so has Kucinich and many other well known liberals/radicals.My only problem with the radio station, and with Chomsky and Moore, is that they parrot the official liberal position on Israel, the evil bully of the Middle East. I don't see it that way. I think it must be very difficult to be surrounded by countries that hate you and have tried several times to drive you into the sea, because they refuse to recognize your right to live.The Palestinian leaders have many times refused a separate state because they had to acknowledge the existence of Israel in order to be given their own state. That's apparently asking too much. The desert is apparently too valuable a piece of real estate to share with non-Muslims.Aside from that one issue, I really like Moore's new book. | 34 stars
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Great product
Being a lover of books...the look and the comfort of holding them...I was dubious about buying a kindle. However my bookcases were overflowing with books I know I'll never read again and I decided something had to be done. I bought my Kindle and haven't looked back. If I REALLY love a book and know I'll want to read it over and over, I just buy it. Otherwise, I can read as many books as I want and not worry about where I'm going to put it or who I'm going to give it to when I'm done.I've finished a book at 11:15 p.m. and shopped/downloaded and started readying again by midnight. It is the BEST when traveling, I've downloaded a book on the New Jersey turnpike during summer travels. I've played Scrabble and Every Word (Kindle word games) while waiting for appointments or on long car rides. If you are a lover of words and stories...you have to get one! | 45 stars
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The spinmeister
A decent popularizaion of the subject. Eap. good on general background and overall perspective. | 23 stars
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Wonderful&Funny&Romantic
I thought the book was well written, I couldn't put it down!!! The romance, the family battles, the bond between 2 sisters, all so fasinating.To the person below who wrote that "only American who have never lived in another country like this book": I am not an American, and I have lived in different countries since childhood, but I still enjoy the book very much. I think people can be over sensitive sometimes. | 45 stars
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My Most Favorite Gadget EVER!!!!
I am a Kindle 2 owner. I read the reviews for 2 years before taking the plunge - and I did consider it a big investment at the time. THIS IS MY MOST FAVORITE GADGET (EVEN SURPASSING MY CELL PHONE)....EVER!!!I noted with great skepticism other Kindle owners who said they started reading books they never considered before as well as those who said they switched from reading one hardcover book at a time to multiple Kindle books. All of this has been true for me! I have greatly widened my reading interests. Kindle makes it so easy to ascertain whether a book is right for you and the choices are just wonderful (like having your own personal library) Even more remarkable is that pre-Kindle, I felt I could only read one book at time. No more! I have a couple of Kindle books going at the same time in various styles and topics. Which book I read depends entirely upon my mood. My reading enjoyment has increased 10 fold at least and I was already an avid reader.One of the best things about my Kindle is that I take it EVERYWHERE with me. That means that whenever I am lucky enough to have a spare moment (at the checkout line or waiting for a meeting) I can take it out and read. This has been great for my anxiety level as well as increasing my happiness quotient.Without a doubt, I get the most questions about my Kindle from others who are looking longingly at my Kindle while they wait for their flights or appointments. It is also great not to lug around hardcover books as well as getting rid of the book-clutter in my house. My personal library is at my fingertips on both the Kindle and my laptop computer.Bravo Amazon and Kindle!!!! | 45 stars
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This is NOT the first book you should read from the series.
Killing Floor gets 2 stars from me simply because I managed to make it the whole way through.I have to say - I'm glad this wasn't my first Reacher book - because I wouldn't have picked up another. It's clear that Jack Reacher's character was in early development with this first book. The utter fawning over Roscoe. . . the speed (a week) at which their relationship progressed to a level where they couldn't stand being apart for a couple days. . . the dancing and jumping around by the dumpster. . . these are just samples of many instances where the early Reacher didn't align with the Reacher from later books. I found this Reacher quite difficult to stomach.And the plot holes! One of the worst was a near psychic conclusion that Reacher came to when time was of the essence and he had to find someone quickly. . . . He called hotel after hotel asking for an alias he practically picked out of a hat, with no signs of doubt that he might be even slightly wrong about the name. And magically, he nailed it. (It's comically more complex than this, but I don't want to ruin the fun.)There also seemed to be a lot of places in the book where Lee Child hadn't perfected his American voice. I've only heard of bathroom stalls being called "cubicles" in the UK, for instance.Finally, I'm sure there are opinions on both sides of this issue - but I've decided that I prefer Reacher stories written in 3rd person. I actually miss "Reacher said nothing." And frankly, the way Reacher described things in this book often made me wish he'd said nothing. I'm about to crack the cover on Gone Tomorrow (another first person book) . . . so we'll see if my opinion changes after that.Bottom line - if you're just getting started with Jack Reacher. . . don't read this book first. The Enemy was where I started. . . and I've read many since then. | 12 stars
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Seriously Entertaining
Seriously entertaining, witty, and delightful. Enoch really made her own brand here. I have to say I don't care too much about her Regency books. But this book is something else. Definitely highly recommended. | 45 stars
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More a Book About Beer Than a Book About Baseball
I should have loved this book. It's got everything I love. Chicago, the Cubs and a bunch of drunks.First of all, the guy is a jackass. He quits a reporting job in . . . I think St. Louis? Kansas City? I don't know, some place, and moves to Chicago to lay around on the couch drinking and following the Cubs all season. I'm into the idea, but the dude is super self-congratulatory and keeps acting like he did some noble thing.Second of all, the guy is a jackass. Throughout the entire Cubs season, he apparently never meets a single woman who knows the first thing about baseball, but meets plenty of them with breasts he has no problem describing to the reader.Third of all, the guy is a jackass. He can't write. His prose is trite and eye-roll inducing. It's like reading a blog of a 21 year old college student who's always either drunk, recovering from being drunk or talking about being drunk.Fourth of all, the guy is a jackass. He goes off on this tangent about how Chicago 'charges you to breathe.' What? This city has a million free things to do for tourists and residents alike, and residents can just take a trip to the library to get free admission to any number of attractions that others would have to pay for. What he means is that if you want to go to Wrigleyville and get drunk with frat boys, it's expensive. Good thing for me that I don't like to do that.Fifth of all, the guy is a jackass. He spends half the book complaining about people who go to Cubs games and don't even pay attention and the other half of the book going to Cubs games and not paying attention. For example :"That baseball is being played on the field comes to news to all of us as we drink a few more beers, yell insults at Cardinals outfielder Jim Edmonds and get ready for an all-night barbeque at my house. John entertains himself by grabbing a Cardinals T-shirt from another friend, ripping it to pieces, and making a bra from one of the sleeves. Bleacher security keeps a close eye on John but retreats once they realize that he is only entertaining everyone."Oh, how entertaining John!!All of that said, there are a few things I liked about the book. There was a section on the Ballhawks, pros who hang outside the stadium at every game, catching the foul balls that leave the park. There was also a section I enjoyed where Kevin traveled to a few other ballparks and compared them to Wrigley. However, he cut his story short to move on to more stories about what an entitled drunk douche bag he was.In summation : Kevin Kaduk is the epitome of what I hate about Cubs fans. Obviously, we are not all like him but this guy writing a book about a whole lot of people like him makes me cry big ole croc tears. | 01 star
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Great product!
This is a great, easy to set up, easy to use product. And I love how quickly I can download books and periodicals. And it's so environmentally friendly because it saves on paper! The only thing I wish it would do is some how "glow in the dark" so I can read in the dark. | 45 stars
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Fearless Wrestling
Yancey's fearless wrestling with the uncertainties of faith comes around once again in this book, which I discovered only recently. I encountered the beginnings of many of the points he explores in later writings. The reassurance that God still reigns, even in our darkest times, has touched me deeply at this time in my life. As he says in this book: "Faith means believing in advance what will only make sense in reverse." The illustration about Beethoven's Ninth Symphony is exceptional! The concluding story about his father is so poignant that I could barely read it. Each time I finish one of his books, I have a new marker on my faith journey. God is honoring -- and will honor in eternity -- Yancey's transparency and honesty. | 45 stars
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I am very happy with this product
Since purchasing the Amazon Kindle I have read 3 books. I like the fact that I can download books both online with my computer and also connect, purchase and download books using the 3G connection that the Kindle has. I am a big reader and I like the fact that I no longer have to deal with a mass of already read books stacking up in my house.I was worried that the screen would bother my eyes as I stare at a computer all day for work. The screen is very easy to look at and is nothing like a computer screen. It's very easy on my eyes!Prior to buying the Kindle I thought about buying the Barns and Noble Nook, but I am a regular user of, and familiar with Amazon.com. When comparing the specifications, I didn't see a huge difference that would mean anything to me. They both have a lot of books, and from my experience the Amazon books are generally much less expensive.I have purchased two new, still in hardcover only, books for $9.99 each, which would be a combined savings of about $40. I also got a book completely free, so the Amazon Kindle is also definitely more cost effective than a traditional paper book. I would highly recommend a Kindle to any avid reader. | 45 stars
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A classic
I just re-read this classic as part of a E.M. Forster compilation that I was recently given. It is one of my favorites. It is probably a 4 1/2, maybe 5. In my mind, it will always be intertwined with images from the Merchant-Ivory film, probably because the movie version is so well done and true to the book. I think I am going to have to dust off the movie and watch it sometime in the near future.I did enjoy this quote from the book: "A rebel she was, but not of the kind he understood - a rebel who desired not a wider dwelling room, but equality beside the man she loved. For Italy was offering her the most priceless of all possessions - her own soul." | 34 stars
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A truly fulfilling novel
I read a lot of novels. Many are good reads. Some, of course, are really bad, even horrible. I'm sure you readers know this, too. Then there are truly fulfilling novels like "and the shadows took him," by Daniel Chacon. This novel is not only a great story, but written extremely well. Chacon is a master at his craft. You, readers, will not be disappointed.If you are like me, the title, "shadows," will be the first thing that will capture your attention before you open the novel. Chacon's use of shadow and light in his descriptions, how it works and plays with mood and tension within the novel, will assure you that the author has complete control. I would love to ruin the end of this novel, to give you the most powerful example of this control over image, the author's use of shadows, but I will be fair and only tell you that the novel leads to an amazing ending--a final image that I promise will stay with you well after you set the book down.The story follows the Molinas, a family that finds itself, suddenly, as middle class, moving to the predominately white town of Medford, Oregon, away from their lower income neighborhood in Fresno. Here we meet William, the father and subject of most of the tension in the novel; Joey, the youngest son and main character; Rachel, the beautiful mother; Veronica, the daughter and oldest child; and Billy, the oldest son. I love the way these characters are completely distinct from each other. Well after you read this novel, even if you forget the characters names, you will certainly remember the image of each of these characters.I can't say enough good things about "and the shadows took him." Read it. | 45 stars
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Winding tale full of ethereal music
This book's hard to classify--fantasy or science fiction, mainstream or young adult. It's the tale of two women and the music that binds them. In the 1700's, a young poor girl busks the street playing music from glasses. She's mentored by Benjamin Franklin, who wants her to play his own glass instrument. In 2018, musical virtuoso, Erin, returns to play that same instrument.The story is well-written, if a bit long. To me, the 1700's was a richer venue well depicted and compelling, while the future seems a bit barren and uncertain. | 34 stars
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Very Pleased
I had been wanting to pick up a copy of this classic for quite some time. the story of redemption in this book is so uplifting, I wanted to share it with my children. I was looking for a copy that would have that rich-feeling to it. I wanted it to have some pictures to show my kids as they are still young and I want to keep them interested in the story. This copy is perfect. I was leery when I ran a search on this site. I got a few hits, but nothing that really struck me as the "definite" copy I was looking for.If you are looking for an heirloom quality copy, this might not be it......at least not for a couple more decades......as I believe this book will wear nicely and be a great piece once the pages start to yellow. The type set is very neat and easy to read, and the plethora of pictures, which don't detract from the story, are beautiful.Pick this up for yourself and your family, you will be glad that you did. | 45 stars
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I feel awful now
Perhaps its my own fault for even reading this to begin with, but I have never felt worse after reading a book ... it's one thing to read about the facts and figures and 3rd-person experiences, but this book contains so much of the author's own experiences that I just felt kinda sick afterwards having been immersed in the mindset that wants this stuff. Maybe that's her point, but ugh, I feel terrible. | 01 star
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The sensible and the sensitive
One of the Dashwood daughters is smart, down-to-earth and sensible. The other is wildly romantic and sensitive.And in a Jane Austen novel, you can guess that there are going to be romantic problems aplenty for both of them -- along with the usual entailment issues, love triangles, sexy bad boys and societal scandals. "Sense and Sensibility" is a quietly clever, romantic little novel that builds up to a dramatic peak on Marianne's romantic troubles, while also quietly exploring Elinor's struggles.When Mr. Dashwood dies, his entire estate is entailed to his weak son John and snotty daughter-in-law Fanny. His widow and her three daughters are left with little money and no home.Over the next few weeks, the eldest daughter Elinor begins to fall for Fanny's studious, quiet brother Edward... but being the down-to-earth one, she knows she hasn't got a chance. Her impoverished family soon relocates to Devonshire, where a tiny cottage is being rented to them by one of Mrs. Dashwood's relatives -- and Marianne soon attracts the attention of two men. One is the quiet, much older Colonel Brandon, and the other is the dashing and romantic Willoughby.But things begin to spiral out of control when Willoughby seems about to propose to Marianne... only to abruptly break off his relationship with her. And during a trip to London, both Elinor and Marianne discover devastating facts about the men they are in love with -- both of them are engaged to other women. And after disaster strikes the Dashwood family, both the sisters will discover what real love is about...At its heart, "Sense and Sensibility" is about two girls with completely opposite personalities, and the struggle to find love when you're either too romantic or too reserved for your own good. As well as, you know, the often-explored themes in Austen's novels -- impoverished women's search for love and marriage, entailment, mild scandal, and the perils of falling for a sexy bad boy who cares more for money than for true love... assuming he even knows what true love is.Austen's formal style takes on a somewhat more melancholy flavor in this book, with lots of powerful emotions and vivid splashes of prose ("The wind roared round the house, and the rain beat against the windows"); and she introduces a darker tone near the end. Still, there's a slight humorous tinge to her writing, especially when she's gently mocking Marianne and Mrs. Dashwood's melodrama ("They gave themselves up wholly to their sorrow, seeking increase of wretchedness in every reflection that could afford it").And Marianne and Elinor make excellent dual heroines for this book -- that still love and cherish each other, even though their polar opposite personalities frequently clash. What's more, they each have to become more like the other before they can find happiness. There's also a small but solid supporting cast -- the hunting-obsessed Sir John, the charming Willoughby (who has some nasty stuff in his past), the emotional Mrs. Dashwood, and the gentle, quiet Colonel Brandon, who shows his love for Marianne in a thousand small ways."Sense and Sensibility" is an emotionally powerful, beautifully written tale about two very different sisters, and the rocky road to finding a lasting love. Not as striking as "Pride and Prejudice," but still a deserving classic. | 45 stars
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Disappointing Overall
I know that I will be tarred and feathered for denouncing the "20th Century's favorite 19th Century novel" but I have my reasons why as you shall see. Most of the novel rests entirely on Bronte's ability as a weaver of words, and not on her creation of characters. Bronte tried to imitate the passion of Lord Byron's characters and succeeded only marginally. Out of all the characters in Wuthering Heights only Heathcliff is strongly developed in the sense that although we may despise him at certain times, we always feel a sense of empathy, even compassion at times. For the character of Catherine Earnshaw/Linton one feels only contempt, with a thin veil of sorrow. It is the same feeling one has for Miss Havisham in Dickens Great Expectations. Catherine senior is a deceitful, destructive force who almost succeeds in passing on her vices and moral depravity onto her daughter. Unlike Dickens Great Expectations however, we see no reason in her madness, which is one of the failings of Bronte's novel. To most readers she is just a spoiled little rich girl who wants to have her cake and eat it too. This is never expounded on in any great length and Bronte, while not explicitly saying it, seems to condone it as a perfectly good reason to go to Edgar and not Heathcliff. It is at that point in the story that we have nothing but total contempt for Catherine senior and nothing else. But there are many morally bankrupt characters that populate great literature and they do not take away from the story, Dickens Miss Havisham and Estella, come up once again. The difference between Catherine senior and these characters is that Bronte's character is shown as a weak, whining woman with no clear direction either in her life or in the plot of the story. She is in short the airhead of the story. It is a very negative portrayal of women and I'm surprised that Bronte devoted so much time to this character. Her daughter Catherine junior is a much stronger character in every way, but here again is another downfall of the book. The characters of Catherine junior and Hareton Earnshaw are cast out of the spotlight in favor of concentrating on Catherine seniors whining. These characters, along with those like Nelly Dean and Lockwood have far less substance than they should. Bronte should have devoted more time to Catherine and Hareton than she did. Overall, I think that Heathcliff saved the story from bombing terribly, and Bronte's prose also contributes to the beauty of the book, but she was no Lord Byron. Bronte simply did not understand plot and character well enough to make this the novel it could have been, which is a terrible shame. Although some people indict this book as just being a 19th Century soap opera, its fault rests not in the plot being too unrealistic and trite, it rests on the fault that the reader only gets to know a few characters really well, and of those characters only Heathcliff is given the attention he deserves. | 23 stars
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A better than average airplane read
This author shows skill in putting together the usual ludicrous plot for this sort of book. The notion of fake knights iding into a New York public building sounds like a Hollywood screen writers idea of a good time in New York.NYC is a tolerant place, but it's a little hard to suspend belief long enough to accept an impossible breach of securityy. And the book is still another cashing in on the supposed religious mysteries popularized by Dan Brown in the DaVinci Code and before that by the murky, supposedly non-fiction "Holy Blood, Holy Grail."Those caveats aside, it's a bit of fun. The people who would benfit most from a minor pricking of religious silliness probably won't get it. Would I read something else by this author? Probably so. | 23 stars
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Life Changing possibilities
A friend gave me this book to read, and then I purchased the DVD and have given copies to two friends. For me, it is a very inspirational set of messages and even though I have just begun "practicing" the ideas within, my life and view of life's happenings have taken on a magical quality! One needs to be in the "right place and mind" to hear the messages contained within - but, IMHO, if the majority of people on this planet took these ideas to heart, our world would be very, very different. Well worth the purchase price! | 45 stars
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Alex Archer Has Done It Again!
LOVED THIS BOOK!! In The Spider Stone, the third Annja Creed adventure, author Alex Archer deftly portrays the mysterious and often dangerous world of his intriguing character. Annja is a heroine of our time, a fearless adventurer with an education in archaeology and her own cable show. Raiders of the Lost Ark meets MTV. She is a modern day Joan of Arc who can conjure up an ancient sword that has chosen her to wield it. A mass grave linked to the Underground Railroad and a cryptic stone artifact reveal a dark secret from Africa's primitive past. A merciless African warlord and a ruthless international corporate mogul prove to be daunting adversaries. And it's a race against time for Annja to stop those who would unleash the Spider God. This is a fast paced quest you shouldn't miss. Alex Archer has created a compelling series that keeps getting better with each new book. | 45 stars
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Forget all the awful stuff written above
I had to read Willa Cather's O Pioneers! for my American Lit. class. I had heard awful things about it much like written above, so i was basically assuming the worst. I was wrong. The book grabbed me immediately. I am NOT the kind of person who likes nature, or lengthy descriptions about it, but that's not the meat of this book. The characters are the meat of this book and make it the great book that it is. I would recommend it to everyone! | 45 stars
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Not his worst....
Kellerman's last few books have been forgettable to say the least and I hoped that this would display the quality of his early writing. While it was not a total waste of time, it came close. Far too much print was devoted to the half-hearted team meetings of people in mud colored clothing as they outlined ever more convoluted theories as to who had done what to and with whom. This is yet another book that lacks credibility or suspense. | 12 stars
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This puts travel memoir in a whole new category
Gilbert's honesty, rawness and humor make this book one of the most beautiful and readable books I've read in a long time. I suspect she might spawn a new generation of `travelers' but I doubt if any of them will be able to reflect as well or with as much insight as she in this fabulous diary, Eat Pray Love. I've been moved to do all three. | 45 stars
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Super book
Lee Iacocca is such a character. This book makes you wish you knew him personally. He really gets to the point and spares no punches. He tells it like he sees it. It's no wonder he was so successful in business. | 45 stars
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Needed some of that famous editing....
This is an interesting story well-told, but I find myself in agreement with those readers who feel that it was somewhat hastily thrown together. On page 75 (of the first hardcover edition, Oxford University Press, 2003, 2nd printing), the writer tells us as simple fact that James Murray, born in 1837, "cherished the fact that he had managed to befriend a local ancient who had been alive when Parliament proclaimed William and Mary joint sovereign in 1689..." Do the math. If this "ancient" was two years old in 1689, he would be 152 years old in 1839 when Murray might be old enough to meet and remember him. Ancient indeed, and worth at least a comment. On page 124, the writer says of compositor James Gilbert "He joined the Press as an apprentice in 1880... and was still working 36 years later when the final words... were set in January 1928." Perhaps he was docked 12 years for lollygagging. I tend to think that Mr. Gilbert worked for the 48 years because 36 years at the same job is not so remarkable. What is remarkable is that this kind of obvious error would get past the august editors at the Oxford University Press. | 34 stars
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"Super"
I enjoyed reading Two Weeks With a Stranger. Simon Severton,Earl of Devingham is in need of a wife. Lucy is the daughterof a local squire and when Simon asked her to marry him sheagrees. After their sensual wedding night, while Lucy wasasleep, Simon was summoned by his superior back to Londonleaving her in their country estate. He didn't tell Lucy he'sa British spy. The next morning when Lucy awakens to finda note from Simon, announcing his return to London. Afterseveral months Lucy decided to leave for London to be withher husband. She thinks her husband is having an affair.I liked the secondary characters. Gin an American andFoxworth (spy) have a chance with their story. I thought,they were a great match, even though, they were disagreeingon everything. There were times, I thought, it was hilarious,when Gin tells Foxworth she wanted to be a British spy.Two Weeks With a Stranger was a delightful read. Full ofintrigue. Never a dull moment with Lucy and Gin.I highly recommend.. | 45 stars
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Ruth Reichl plus thoughts on social perception
Not only do I love Ruth Reichl's writing, but the emphasis in this book is psychologically fascinating. It's a must read for fans of food, dysfunctional family dynamics, actors, and the socially curious among us. | 45 stars
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Prince of Poison
It is the third book in her trilogy of Lady Alex.I really enjoy the way she makes the middle ages come alive,and it is such a wild ride with Alex, as she cleverlyfinds a way to fight the royalty who would have her head. | 45 stars
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An Absolute Masterpiece!
At this moment, this is my favorite book! I starting reading Dickens classics about a year ago. I have read David Copperfield, Great Expectations, and Bleak House. I plan on conquering Tale of Two Cities next. I loved David Copperfield and Bleak House. I have mixed feelings about Great Expectations, but I won't go into a review here. This is about Bleak House! There is so much to like about this book. You'll laugh out loud, you might even cry (but not as much as you will reading David Copperfield), you will be blown away. I can't quite explain my reaction to this book. It made me want to stand up and start clapping. There are few books that stop me in my tracks and make me go back and reread an entire chapter. This is one I could read over and over. | 45 stars
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The book looks brand new.
I bought this book second hand and it is in perfect condition. It looks new. Its previous owner took very well care of it! I am extremely satisfied with this purchase. | 45 stars
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Self Discovery
Like all Jane Austen's works, Emma is a tale of self-discovery. Emma Woodhouse is used to her position of consequence as mistress of her widowed father's house, and proud lady of an old, respected family. She over-estimates her own power and importance, running into trouble when she tries to govern the affairs of her neighbors. Mr. Knightly, brother of her sister's husband, scolds and chides while her senile daddy worries more about her staying up too late, or dancing in a crowded room. Mr. Knightly is always right, as, over and over, the strong-willed Emma is forced to admit; but the reformation of her ideas may be too late in coming. He goes away to London just when she realizes she cannot be happy without first place in his heart. A must read for all fans of classic literature. | 45 stars
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A True Portrayal of Professional Gambling
As a professional gambler, it's refreshing to read a book by someone who really has an insider's perspective on how "the smart money" gets an edge on a proposition (sports betting) that seems to have an inherent advantage for the house that no body can beat. I'm no literary critic, but Michael Konik's writing is smooth, entertaining, and very informative. What I do feel qualified to comment on is his reporting accuracy, which, from my experiences in both Las Vegas and the offshore betting world, is dead-on accurate. This book tells it like it is. I would say it's an "incredible" story, but that's not really true. It's a credible story, an adventurous expose that is all too real. I can't think of a better book about big time professional gambling -- except maybe Konik's other books! | 45 stars
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Beautiful Volume
I collect "A Christmas Carol" and this is a particularly lovely volume. The illustrations are wonderful and the overall quality, printing, binding and paper, is terrific. This is definitely in my top three favorites of all the different versions I own. | 45 stars
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Kindle is not expensive
I have read numerous comments about the high price of the Kindle 2. I disagree. I believe that these reviewers are forgetting that the Kindle comes with FREE Internet access, and access just about anywhere. Such access is a paid monthly service for cellphones, an expensive one. I use my Kindle to leisurely browse the news and sports on the Web almost every day and from many different places. One of my favorites is a nearby botanic garden.About half of the books I buy are from Amazon ($6-10). The other half are free classics that I download very conveniently from manybooks.net or Gutenburg.org.So I find startup and operating costs very reasonable.The Kindle 2 has had a profound and very positive affect on my life. I am reading a heckuva lot more and watching TV or idly waiting much much less. The Kindle 2 goes everywhere with me. I rate it 5 stars. | 45 stars
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Interesting character study
Emma Woodhouse is priviledged. Very priviledged. She comes from the richest, most important family in her small town. Everyone looks up to her, including her indulgent governess and even more indulgent papa. The theme of her life, from the time she was small, has always been "Emma knows best". Emma takes this to heart when she takes an interest in young Harriet Smith, the beautiful, empty-headed daughter of, well, someone. The book follows Emma's misadventures as she tries to marry Harriet off to the local parson and meddles in the lives of her friends and neighbors, eventually learning that perhaps she doesn't always know best.This is, I think, one of Jane Austen's less popular works, perhaps because there isn't a great deal of romance in it. It is, as I titled the review, more of a character study, as well as a study of society at that time. On first reading, I didn't care for the book or for Emma's self-centered goodness. After reading it again, I grew to enjoy the book as much if not more than her more popular works, like Pride and Prejudice. The wit is sharp as usual (and maybe slightly more ascerbic), and more thought seems to have been put into the secondary characters. Definitely worth a read. | 45 stars
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Great Insights into Mass Behaviors
This book is a fascinating and original take on what makes people behave in a certain way en masse. Tying together Paul Revere, Hush Puppies and many other very accessible ideas makes this book, that is in some ways very academic, read like a thriller. I read it in three sittings. It has an impact on several levels. One, as a marketer, it gave me insights into how word-of-mouth really works. I'll be experimenting with these concepts for years. Second, as a member of society, I gained insight into why I am pulled this way and that by trends. If you enjoyed this, you'll also enjoy the groundbreaking book by Robert Cialdini called "Influence, the Psychology of Persuasion." It makes some of the same points. Finally, it makes me think that some savvy activists will find some ways to use these principles to start societal epidemics that will ultimately have a positive effect. I believe Gladwell has introduced a concept, "the Tipping Point," that will have a wide-ranging impact on how we view the world and human behavior.Also recommended Understanding: Train of Thought. | 45 stars
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Just couldn't get into this book
I picked up this book because the plot looked so interesting. But as soon as it got to the part where she woke up as her sister...I just couldn't see this happening and the main character not going completely berserk. Yes, she agreed to help them, but this went a little too far. And she seemed o.k. with it, after about a paragraph worth of fussing. I can handle 'out there' plot lines, but please, no one who is sane would be fine waking up as their dead sister. No matter what the cause. I wasn't that into this book anyway, but when I got to this part I just gave up. I haven't done that with a book in...I actually don't think I ever have. I usually make myself finish them. But I just couldn't with this one. | 12 stars
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Excellent
I have just started reading the book and found it eye-opening. Although, I suspected much of this was going on all along, this book provides real life examples that never got filtered down to the public. Although, I don't agree that a flat tax would be quite the boon to the wealthy that writer thinks. Afterall, if it was such an advantage to this class, it would have passed into a law long time ago. I guess that is because the wealthy pay way less than then the purposed tax rate in any of the plans submitted thus far. On the otherhand, I think if a flat tax a) included all income not just earned b) excluded those living below the poverty line , c) tied the calculation of the poverty line directly to cost-of-living and inflation indexes and d) lowered the tax burden to 10 or 15 percent. I think it would be a fair flat tax and would probably motivate congress to act more responsibly in regard to the nations economic woes for fear of driving more people below the poverty line. Nonetheless, so far this is a very good read and provides some real solutions that can be addressed. | 45 stars
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fabulous Victorian private investigator romantic suspense
In 1849, whereas her two older sisters have reconciled with their birth mother Madam Aphrodite and found love (see LESSONS IN SEDUCTION and RULES OF PASSION), Francesca Greentree hates what her biological mom does for a living. Instead she prefers to rusticate in Yorkshire where her "adopted" mom Amy Greentree raised her and her siblings rather than spend time in London where she is reminded of her biological mother a famous courtesan.Aphrodite asks the "human bloodhound" Sebastian Thorne to find the odious baby snatcher Mrs. Slater and learn from her who was going to pay her to steal her three offspring from her over two decades ago. She also begs him not to tell her darling daughters the truth about his mission. In Yorkshire Hal the blacksmith tricks Sebastian who begins sinking into the bog of the Emerald Mire moor, but Francesca rescues him. As he continues his sleuthing, he knows he is in love from the moment he first saw her; but he has a disgraceful past that leaves him too dishonorable to court his beloved even as he willingly risks his life to keep her safe from someone wanting her dead.In spite of the chance encounter between the lead protagonists on the moor, the third Aphrodite's children tale is a fabulous Victorian private investigator romantic suspense that ties up the key loose threads especially the who and why of the original abduction. The story line is fast-paced from the moment that Aphrodite hires Sebastian and never slows down until the final confrontation with a romantic subplot running through the middle. Historical romantic mystery fans will appreciate this pleasingly entertaining series.Harriet Klausner | 45 stars
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Nothing New
i will try not to sound arbitrarily pedantic like many other reviewers on this website. James collected a series of lectures for this famous book but the chapters flow well together so that does not cause any problems. My problem with James is that he dwells on one point for "Varieties" which has been proven in many texts-that experiences are not objectve but subjective to each person. You can start with Protagoras. | 23 stars
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Amazing Kindle!
I feel like I am a free spokesperson for the Kindle! I have had my Kindle for 2 weeks and absolutely love it! Several of my friends have one now after having listened to me sing Kindle praises! The features are user friendly. The Kindle Store is wonderful, there is so much to choose from. It does actually only take a few seconds to download a book! No complaints! I find myself "Kindling" every day every chance I get! Thank you Jeff Bezos! | 45 stars
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Don't judge a book by its cover...
I was really excited to hear about this book. The title is catcy and seems to invite readers to what could be an inspirational book about the true meaning of life. I received it from a good friend as a gift and although it was written very well I could not have disagreed more with the author about the "meaning of life". The main character (or author) seems to be very self absorbed and almost possessed by selfish and self-defeating thoughts. Why would you leave a perfectly great marriage because it no longer suited your needs (the author didn't want kids!!!) then have the nerve to write a book about it? I think its great the things the author realizes throughout her journey but in this case the ends does not justify the means.Here is my advice to the author:-Notice some people live to eat but many others eat to live...-If you want to pray please don't do so in the bathroom.-Love is not just about loving yourself or about your human need for love, love can be about loving someone else so as to sacrifice sometimes. As first lady Nancy Regan said relationships are not always 50/50...sometimes they have to be 100/0.The only reason I'd suggest reading the book is to find out for yourself on which side of this controversial book you'd be on... | 12 stars
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Incredible Urban Fantsy--A fantastic read!
I read this in one sitting. I even lost track of time and ended up staying up past my bedtime to finish the book.At first, I was nervous as to whether or not I would like Touch the Dark. Another vamp book? Eh. Not feeling the love so much, but the voice was so good in the sample chapters on Chance's website, I took the risk. And boy am I glad I did! This is good world-building. Yeah, there are vamps and vamp politics, but there's also a lot more going on than bloodsucking: Time travel, myth, a bitchy pixie, wicked witchs, well-endowed satyrs, and bipolar mages.Chance has mastered the art of the unexpected twist. Scenes don't end the way you expect them to, the plot doesn't pan out like you think it will either, and neither does the world-building. For a jaded reader like myself, I love it when an author can surprise me. The whole book, I found myself gasping 'no way!' as all sorts of cool events unfolded.If you are an urban fantasy addict like I am, this is a must read. Excellent, excellent book. Just make sure you have enough time to finish it--don't start this at 10pm unless you still want to be up at 3am! | 45 stars
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There must be better out there
Bought this as a first introduction. It's very, very, high level. Maybe to the point of useless. Six Sigma does have, at it's core, some statistics - it would be useful for anyone trying to learn the approach to understand a few of the basic statistical concepts. There are mistakes in the few numerical examples that are offered, probably creating more confusion than insight. | 12 stars
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Tougher than Leather
Stephen Davis outdoes himself and his previous classic of rock biography with his new book. Well, in my opinion, Jim Morrison is inherently more interesting than the boys of Led Zeppelin, though both flirted with the dark magic of Kenneth Anger. And also now, because Morrison is dead, Davis doesn't need to concern himself much with libel laws, except to protect thr reputation of the innocent who are alive.His focus is on the paradox of ontology, of Morrison's being, and why is it that a boy who on the surface led a pretty privileged suburban life wound up living as an adult a life of creativity, unhappiness, and mystery. No other writer has come close as this to explaining Morrison's art in terms of his childhood and his background, and partly Davis' success stems from his finger on the pulse of US and world history during the 1940s and 1950s. We see Morrison very much in tune with contemporary developments in music, poetry, art and cinema, showing that he was not some isolated genius, but part of an interweb of action and reaction that accompanied the Cold War and its discontents. If, as Davis alleges, Morrison was the victim as a teen of sexual abuse by someone within his own family, a military figure at that, it would go a long way towards explaining how "The End," etc, came to be written. | 45 stars
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good to add to collection
easy reading book that should be added to your collection. Even though no pictures it explains a lot of information. | 45 stars
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Good product, excellent service
Among the 1000-plus reviews, there are sure to be good descriptions of the device and how it works. I will just say that I have been very satisfied with mine since I received it as a birthday gift a little more than 1 month ago. Last night, as is my habit, I laid down to read for a while before going to sleep. About 3 pages into my Vince Flynn novel, the top 1 inch of the Kindle's display crapped out. In short, on/off and a hard re-boot didn't fix the problem with the display. Grrrr. I had just downloaded 3 or 4 new books to take on vacation with me, starting 3 days from now. So, at 11PM EST, I emailed Amazon's Kindle service. I received a return email this morning at 6AM with instructions to leave a phone number for call back. Seconds afterwards, my phone rings and in less than 10 seconds, I am talking to a real person. I described the problem, confirmed the serial number of the device and confirmed a credit card number used for the purchase. Within about 5 minutes, arrangements had been made to immediately ship a new replacement Kindle and I was emailed a return UPS shipping label to send in the defective Kindle. The credit card number confirmation was to confirm payment for a new Kindle if I failed to return the defective Kindle within 30 days. OK.In short, it is just the nature of any electronic device that consumers do occasionally have problems. The Kindle, to be sure, is no different. But my initial experience, at least, is that Kindle's on-line service was prompt and pleasant. And happily, I should have my replacement Kindle in hand in time to take it with me on vacation. Thanks. | 45 stars
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Story of my life!
Having worked for a huge, Fortune 15 company for the past four years, I felt like the book was written about some of my experiences, yet I was laughing or completely jaw dropped for nearly the entire book. I read it completely on the bus for my commute, and got a few of my neighbors on the bus interested in the book just from my laughs.The only reason I rate it 4 stars instead of 5 is that I think the first surprise in the book (around page 100) was actually more exciting for me than the climax. The book ended exactly how it should have, and it was never clear in my mind until the very end what Jones (the main character) was going to do, but after the bombshell in the beginning of the book, nothing else would surprise me! | 34 stars
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There was passion, but that was all
I think I'm a bit jaded. I read so many romance novels that I'm not very easily pleased. All in all, this book wasn't so bad. I love the ''heroine heals the hero'' plot device. But in this book, all there was between them was passion. I would like to see more friendship, caring, getting to know each other. Instead, there was only passion, thinking about sex and fighting attraction. That is ok, but I want more from a romance novel. And, by the by, the cover is just awful ;) | 23 stars
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Headstrong and heartless
Bronwyn Edana is the ugly duckling amongst a string of beautiful sisters, equally hamstrung by her intelligence and learning. When her parents arrange a marriage with Adam Keane, the rather gruff and unfriendly nobleman, she finds her lack of beauty and social approbation very difficult. She overhears Adam telling his friend that she is a disappointment compared to her younger sister Olivia and decides to run away, to stay with a French lady in a salon with whom she had previously had some dealings. Adam comes after her, trying to woo her through seduction as he had long ago decided that there was far more to Bronwyn than others realised. However whilst he is in London a big investment scheme begins to go belly-up and he is blamed whilst the real culprit, a man who is counterfeiting documents, is preparing to assassinate an important figure in the government. Adam has to get to the bottom of the counterfeiting scheme, win back Bronwyn and extricate himself from a second engagement to Bronwyn's sister Olivia.The book was rather disappointing. Both Bronwyn and Adam felt rather loose in their characterisation with descriptions given of their behaviour which seemed strangely changeable. Adam's behaviour as a nobleman towards a gentlewoman was pretty bad and Bronwyn's behaviour was completely inappropriate for her station. The villain was a pantomime-type baddie, even down to his baldness and pock-marked face. The dialogue and behaviour of the characters was inaccurate for this historical period, particularly as people spoke with modern-day American word forms rather than 19th century English ones. The love story didn't seem much about love and the occasional touches of violence by the hero were unappealing. The South Sea Company plot had some promise but was rather simplistic overall. The book was rather a wasted opportunity and its underlying message, that all men are faithless and women end up in love with them despite their better instincts, wasn't very encouraging.Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book Helen Hancox 2008 | 12 stars
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Something For Everybody
I've always toyed with the idea of making a little extra money by cooking some of my delicious recipes for upwards of a hundred people. Alas, this is a fantasy that will never come true, given how much energy it would take, not to mention the high turnover in restaurants here in cosmopolitan San Francisco where a place will open one day, a waiting list three months in advance, and then in month four or five the "buzz" will depart, and a fickle public has found the next new place. Well, congratulations to Stephanie Allen and Tina Kuna for making it all work for them, and you know how they did it? The old fashioned way--high quality and personalized attention--and oh, yes, it's not really a restaurant, it's a franchise. It's a whole new ballgame, so if you go, be prepared to come back with as many dinners as you can fit in your freezer. You may find yourself borrowing your neighbors' freezer just to fit in some of your favorites. As for cooking for 100? They've made it so anyone could do it, even me! And now, for the first time, a cookbook that shows you just how the expert chefs at Dream Dinners make haute cuisine food au bulk, you might say.The book provides dozens of recipes that sound perfectly delicious. And some for every taste. And what's great is that, if you like how it sounds, you can follow column 1, and just make enough for yourself, or you can follow column 2, making enough for three meals. These three you could share with your family, or if you live alone, just put them in the freezer and save them for the next time you want, say, a "Reuben Casserole."What's handy about this is that, in the back of the book, Stephanie and Tina provide "Labels Times Three," so you won't forget what you put in that tupperware over the weeks, perhaps months, before you defrost the Reuben Casserole you made yourself. These labels tell you not only what is is, but how to reheat it. For ezample, for Dream Dinner's Famous Provencal Flank Steak, the label (which you may cut out with a pair of nail scissors, or a cutting knife,--better keep some glue around to fasten the tiny piece of paper to the tupperware!) the label will read, "Thaw completely. Preheat broiler or prepare a grill. Remove steak from marniade and sear on both sides, about 8 minutes per side." And then it gives further directions (I want to avoid spoilers here as much as possible, while still giving you a flavor of how marvelously the whole Dream Dinners cookbook project has been conceived.)The Wild Rice salad was so good that I wound up not freezing any of it, but eating all three helpings in one sitting! Right now, I'm sampling a wee bit of the Layered Strawberry Jell-O Salad which incorporates real strawberries, not just Jell-O (plus bananas which I didn't have, so I used tapioca pudding instead). That's the beauty of it, you'll feel like you're not only doing all the cooking yourself, but you're contributing to the invention of the recipes in a very postmodern, metafictional way. My wife likes "my" Parmesan Green Beans, but Grandma Killian prefers her Parmesan Green Beans without the Parmesan--cheese allergies--and so I have set aside one meal sans the cheese and frozen it for her next visit.You know how when you have a Dream Dinners session yourself, and you go there with nothing but a large cooler for the ride home? You'll be stacking coolers on top of coolers, with the warm feeling that you made these meals yourself, hundreds of them, from the smallest thing like French toast, to the more complicated Chicken Cordon Bleu, which might stump you at first, but keep trying! At first I wound up missing the chicken breasts entirely when trying to spear them down properly with my toothpicks, and many a toothpick went the way of all flesh, but eventually I was able to secure each one, every time, and once the scallions were sprinkled on lightly, like a cloud of green rain, I had that rare burst of elation, the kind you get when people compliment you on your cooking, sort of as though the neurons in your brain were being confetti'd with endorphin. | 45 stars
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Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction
This book was very well written and most informative of the working of the White House and various individuals in Washington, D.C. | 34 stars
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Common Sense Review
i am loving the condition/quality of the book: it is perfect, like new! and i am also loving the low price i had to pay for it! thanks amazon :) | 45 stars
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Great introduction to a series
I really liked both main characters. Yes, they don't differ much from all the literature out there of this type of the book.Sometimes I think that once you read one you read them all. But, the nightwalkers are very interesting in the sense of a little novelty on the old path.I enjoyed the book from beginning to end, even though on the back of my mind I knew it wasn't much different from the rest.At least not much different Alyssa's Day Atlantis type of plot. Same I see you and I will love you forever. Honestly, what happened with the seduction? If it is all set as magical match making it lacks all the seduction don't you think?Well, it is well written nonetheless. The author has style, use very good words to express feelings, the sex scenes are not the hottest, too much emotions going on, too much thoughts, honestly sometimes I think, how can they think so much as they are doing each other? | 34 stars
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Where's the rest of the book?
Well, I was all ready to write a scathing review. I was getting more and more weary of LKH's writing for many of the same reasons that people have mentioned. Mostly that the (once) intriguting plots have been sacrificed for endless and repetitive smut. Hey, don't get me wrong, I'm very appreciative of well written smut, but this ain't it. It's similar to football Sunday, where not only do you have the game, you also have all the pre and post game commentary. Nothing sinks a book faster that dreading an upcoming 20 pages of smut, but then knowing you have to first read 40 pages of TALKING and obsessing about the upcoming 20 pages of smut. Geesh, just do it already!With that said, I was somewhat pleasantly surprised by MK. Yes, it still had all the failings of the previous several books, but I was still entertained by it. However, I did read almost half of it on the treadmill, and finished the rest in about 30 minutes. It's very very short and the plot barely advances. The same plot device has been repeated for the last three books.... They are trying to get somewhere, but get distracted by the need for smut, Anadais shows up and goes "boo", and then they try to continue to get somewhere, but get distracted again by the need for smut, ad nauseum. Apparently, the reason why the Sithen can now move doors is because it's the only way Merry can move more than 20 feet without getting some. Geesh.I had given up at the last book, and this was the first LKH book that I've checked out my library. I had purchased all the others, in hardback when available. I don't think I'll ever purchase another LKH book again, but with MK, I still consider them readable. Just definitely not enough bang for your buck.LKH: If you want to keep your fans (and their money) or woo past fans back, you really need to offer them more. This book probably would have been very good with another 150 pages of plot. I do WANT to find out what happens to Merry and friends. But a hardback price for 200 pages, 110 of those being (boring) smut or talking about smut? Not worth it, sorry. | 23 stars
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don't lose it...
If your Kindle is lost or stolen (as mine was) you can deregister it, so that the thief (or lucky finder) cannot make purchases that you have to pay for. HOWEVER, Amazon WILL NOT mark it as lost or stolen. So the thief (or lucky finder) can register it and use it as though they paid for it.The reason I was given is the the purchaser may want to sell it. That is asinine reasoning. To sell it, all I have to do is deregister it. The purchaser can then register it. Only someone who hates the seller would break the law and sell something then report it stolen. If Amazon allowed for a binary bit in their database for Kindle's lost or stolen, they would be helping to protect their customers. It seems obvious that is too much for them to do. Perhaps they think it will increase sales? I don't know. I DO know that I won't be shelling out another $360 for one. | 01 star
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A cool thriller with a Baltimore Inner Harbor setting.
Ms. Lippman writes some of the most intelligent, funny, strong characters I've read in a long time. The Baltimore setting makes her books a nice answer to her competitor, Lisa Scottoline, who does similar books set in Philly. | 45 stars
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Excellent... but ended predictably
Perhaps I'm jaded by modern science fiction conventions (ala The Twilight Zone), but I felt Dorian Gray ended predictably. Given a magical portrait that protects the subject from the consequences of immorality, Rod Sterling would have ended it the same way.Still reading through a contemporary lens, Dorian Gray provides rich imagery of life in the 19th century. Wilde disadvantages this strength of the novel by exhaustively listing image after image while Dorian immerses himself in sensory experience. These passages read like mildly interesting dictionary entries.Overall, the pithy dialogue, imagery and wonderfully gothic story wins out and Grey entertains. | 34 stars
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this book could be summed up in one word, boring.
i couldn't follow the plot of this book. in fact after reading it, i wasn't even sure what the plot was. i regret buying this book. it took me forever to finish it. i haven't given up hope for particia cornwell. i agree with her other fans...kay scarpetta is the only way to go. | 01 star
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The Secret is Probably Better on CD / DVD
I am glad to learn the techniques and thoughts on how to change your life through the laws of attraction, but the way the book is written is confusing and disjointed in print form;a succession of short comments by numerous experts. | 23 stars
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Lost on Pellucidar
This is the sequel toAt the Earth's Core. That book ended with the hero, David Innes, back on the surface world and separated from his mate, Dian the Beautiful. In this book, he returns to Pellucidar to get her back. This is a formula in many Edgar Rice Burroughs books; the hero becomes separated from his lady love, and has a series of adventures until he is reunited with her. It may be a formula, but it's a successful one. Sure, the plots may be similar, but there are always different strange, exotic worlds to encounter. There was a reason ERB was the most popular pulp writer of his time. Fans of pulp fiction will enjoy this book. | 34 stars
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A rollercoaster ride of a novel
Now, that's what I call a thriller. I have read Tom Clancy novels and thrown them across the room unfinished in disgust at the turgid writing style, appalling characterisation and laughably half-baked philosophising. But this... First, it is well written and plotted. Second, one actually likes the hero, who is honourable, tough, resourceful and intelligent. And it has a visceral appeal that keeps you turning the pages. I lent the book to four people, each of whom loved it (though one was furious with me as he got so engrossed in it that he missed half a football game with his favourite team rather than put it down.) | 45 stars
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The Dead Girls' Dance by Rachel Caine
Also reviewed on my blog, the Vintage Bookworm as a part of my 'Old Review' feature. ([...])Like I said in my review for Glass House, as soon as I finished the first book I leaped across my room to grab the second installment, The Dead Girls' Dance, and I immediately started to read it. As soon as my eyes hit the first sentence of the book I was sucked back into Morganville to see everything that was going on. Rachel Caine's writing makes me feel as though I'm really in the book with the characters. Every feeling that Claire has, I experience.The only thing I don't like about it is that Claire jumps into a new person too quick. I mean, I'm glad she's more confident now and more of a new person, because frankly at first she really bugged me. But still, it's a bit too fast. I still love her nonetheless though. As I do all the main characters, especially Eve.Nothing really changed about my loathing of Monica Morrell. Oh how I want to smack her! I also have a very high loathing for Shane's father now and all of his little back-ups.I really can't figure out which installment I like better right now, Glass Houses or The Dead Girls' Dance. I read through The Dead Girls' Dance just as fast as I did withGlass Houses, which I'm very happy about.But just as I did with The Dead Girls' Dance, I ran to Midnight Alley after finishing. And boy does Rachel Caine know how to leave a cliff hanger. It isn't really a cliff hanger, just a happy ending to a horrible day, that you just know will be destroyed again the next day. So that drives me as crazy as a cliff hanger does.Sometimes while reading these books, I feel as though some of the characters are thrown in just to fill some space and make the story longer. But by the end of the book they have resolved themselves, so that's good. But thinking about it really bothers me.But on a good note, and a not so good note, a lot of secrets and choices have been revealed now in the second installment to the Morganville Vampires series, so that means a lot more stuff is heading our way in Morganville.Overall, this was a great read, as was the first installment. I highly recommend this series; it's now officially in my top favorite series and recommendations. | 45 stars
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Lords of the North
This book is typical Bernard Cornwell. I think he is a master at his craft, and I eagerly await anything that he publishes. As a favor to you, I'd like to mention a new author that I think is an equal to Bernard Cornwell. Sam Barone has written a two book series: Dawn of Empire and Empire Rising. These books are long, detailed, and fascinating. Furthermore, if you like to read about battles, Barone's final battles last a hundred pages and more. None of it is dull! I never did get to bed before 2:00 AM while reading this book so you are warned! The author is a nice fellow who returned my email when I sent him my thanks for writing such a fine series. Barone reminds me a lot of a cross between Bernard Cornwell, Wilbur Smith, and oddly enough, Zane Grey. | 45 stars
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A Page-Turner
This book is well-written and in places quite funny. The main character, a woman who struggles with being a stepmother and who just lost her infant daughter to SIDS, is by turns sympathetic, then annoyingly self-absorbed. And I wanted to beat her husband with a Clue Bat because he had ridiculously unrealistic expectations of his wife in a difficult and painful situation. But the characterization makes for a stew of angst and drama, hence my quick turning of pages to see what would happen next.My favorite character is William, the precocious and smart-alecky stepson. To my mind, William is the star of this story. | 34 stars
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Love it!
I received a Kindle 2 as a gift from my husband for our anniversary. To be honest, I didn't really know what it was until he explained it to me. I'm not much of a gadget person, but could see the advantages of having my library available at my fingertips. I've owned it a week and absolutely love it. I've even gotten so engrossed in my reading that I have caught myself reaching to the corner to turn the page. I recently went to a seminar and during the break, kept thinking I should have brought my Kindle 2 along to read. I'm in my mid-30's and have seen a lot of advances in technology, some great, some not so much. Until now I'd never really liked reading on a computer screen. I get distracted by all the lables, banners and ads that I can't stick with it for long. The Kindle 2 had no ads, pop ups or annoying colors and borders, just straight forward reading. I love not having to drive to a book store or have books delivered. This device saves me the time spent shopping, gas to drive to the bookstore or have books shipped, home storage space and destroys fewer trees. I can't say enough good things about it! If you are an avid reader of novels, buy it, you won't be disappointed. | 45 stars
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Seriously
For someone who is browsing the website to see if they would like to purchase the kindle, when they click "reviews" they are looking for reviews by someone who owns the device, not by someone who hypothetically owns the device.If you are too cheap or lazy to actually buy it, why put in your opinion at all? it's like going on a "ferrari" website and complaining about the hypothetical car colors.Perhaps your reviews would be more useful if you a) felt a need for the product, i.e. wanted a device to read books from, i.e. an avid reader, and b) have actually physically held the device in your hands.As a current smart phone user, i understand how expensive "3G" service can be and thus understand the price of the device. It seems like a bargain for all it can do, actually, and would rather enjoy trying to separate the "dribble" from the actual reviews in making my purchase. | 45 stars
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A Timelessly Important Yet Also A Timely Novel
2005 and Argentina has just revoked amnesty for those responsible for the brutality and occult treachery of the Dirty War that ended with the overthrow of the military junta with the British defeat of Argentina's forces over the Falkland Islands. And it is during this closure of a long suppressed circle that Colm Toibin's superb 1995 book THE STORY OF THE NIGHT comes back into circulation. By all means read this book now not only to celebrate Toibin's genius but also to gain valuable insight into a political intrigue that has smoldered in Argentina for the past thirty years!Toibin conjoins the tale of a young lad Richard Garay, the son of a haughty British mother and an Argentine man whose childhood is disrupted by loss of income and instability of social presence, with the general social and political upheaval in Argentina). Richard moves from poverty and the death of his parents to teaching English in Buenos Aires and eventually comes into contact with an American couple Donald and Susan Ford who draw him into their hazy presence in the realm of political coups as an interpreter. Through them he works to gain acceptance of the powerful Canetto family: the father wants to become President of the nascent democracy after the Falklands War has rid the country of the Generals. Richard is a man in conflict: he envies the wealthy, he is gay, and he embodies the state of mind of surviving with a day persona of longing for order and rank which is antagonistic to his night persona of craving passion.Through a series of twists of fate Richard gradually comes into money by way of the prelude to oil privatization and after unsatisfying attempts at mating he finds love in Pablo Canetto, a handsome man who has likewise hidden his true identity from his family by fleeing to San Francisco's atmosphere. The development of this profound love between Richard and Pablo, threatened as it is by nearly every aspect of life in Buenos Aires, forms the substance of this novel, that substance eloquently exploring the spectrum of love and loss as beautifully as any romance in literature.Colm Toibin is a master storyteller and one who has obviously scrupulously researched the time frame he has chosen for his novel. Every character is painted well, there being no extraneous moments that are not additive to the story. Toibin's prose is liquid and ravishingly beautiful and he is unafraid to present intimate physical encounters, knowing exactly how much to say without offending the senses of anyone. This richly historic novel ends in a microcosm of a romance: the 'desaparecidos' of the dirty war are mirrored in the equally plangent wake of AIDS.The story is superb, the introduction to a heretofore vague history of South American coups is fascinatingly related, and above it all is the magic of Toibin's impeccable prose. This is a book to read again and again. Highly Recommended. Grady Harp, June 05 | 45 stars
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Interdisciplinary Approaches Made Easy
This text is wonderful! A very difficult topic to describe, Interdisciplinarity makes sense, gives the student a solid footing on pertinent topics and is well worth a studious read. | 45 stars
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I loved it! Not your normal paranormal!
This book surprised me. I'd thought from the first couple of chapters that it was going to be a fun but pretty formulaic read. Very much in the "girl on the run from bad guys" mode, only with some fantasy elements thrown in. I was way off base! It's a smart book with a good mystery plot and insanely good characterization. I thought I was getting a fluffy, mindless read and ended up with a surprisingly substantial book that I've thought about again and again. Highly recommended. | 45 stars
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SO Bad
The hype around this book still fascinates me.....its SO bad, I mean, SO BAD. It is written horribly and in the end, sounds silly and trite. There are many other positive, self help books on the market....buy any other one but this one. | 01 star
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Intricately written
It was intricately written. The descriptions of people superb. I could picture every little detail as written in my mind. Very short story and the plot was expected. I did enjoy it tremendously tho. | 34 stars
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I love this book
I just loved reading this book. It had everything - a bit of humour, drama and intrigue. The characters and their problems were believable and I got totally enthralled in their lives. I didn't want it to end..... | 45 stars
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The Perfect Story
"A Christmas Carol" represents not only Charles Dickens' most memorable work. but perhaps the most perfectly plotted story in the history of literature. What other tale has been retold so often, in movies, cartoons, etc.? The heart warming ending never loses its charm, and even for a jaded public that now largely shuns morality plays, the timeless message always finds a receptive audience.Because of the brevity of this story, which is not one of Dickens' colossal novels, the deep complexity of the characters is slightly lacking, as is the terrific humor found in his longer works. Still, the master managed to create a man that everyone can understand, and give him a believable history in comparably few pages. He also bestowed an unforgettable name upon him, that melded seamlessly with his personality.This story can still inspire, and lift the spirits of any reader. What more could we possibly ask of any writer? | 45 stars
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Another excellent world created by Turtledove
I have only read the first 6 chapters so far, but clearlt Harry has outdone himself. I am having a hard time putting this book down to sleep. I have no idea how this war will end, but I know that Harry has created a world so amazingly real, its hard to believe its fiction. | 45 stars
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Sorry Mick Gotta Tell It Like It Is
Mick Foley is a pretty good author to be a wrestler. I enjoyed his previous two books and thats why I picked up the third. That being said its not that great of a book to be honest. In the book if Mick gets things to go his way then Vince McMahon is God. If things doesnt go Mick's way, Vince is the Devil and the people that help him are demons. Out of the three books that he wrote this is the worst of the three. Check the book out of the library if your looking for a good read when you have nothing better to do. Otherwise save your money. Foley is good but this book stinks. | 23 stars
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To much yak yak yak..
I like the stories but she thinks way to much and it getting on my last nerves.I just want to find out what's going on and she go off thinking about something else before coming back to whats important then says nothing at all.. to much ramble and not enough plot. no body else gets a complete sentence in before she starts ranting..If i do stick with this series i hope other characters get a chance to narrate. | 23 stars
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entwined by vine
ruth rendell writing as barbara vine has written a wonderful,suspenseful book.it grabbed me from page one and kept me reading for hours.what else can i add,except it is a great read. | 45 stars
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a respectful analysis
Gladwell's analyses and topics are extremely interesting and "out of the box."I really enjoyed Gladwell's breakdown of everyday occurrences into a sort of mathematical formula. It was interesting to read about a different view of a common story (Revere's Ride, and why he was successful). I like to analyze personalities and what makes people who they are, and Gladwell did just this. By classifying people into three categories, he was able to break down fads by the people who spread them. Gladwell also analyzes the success of certain presentations by their "stickiness" factor. This, I thought, was extremely intriguing; he studied childrens' behavior and deciphered their body language to formulate the perfect, "sticky" childrens show. Even though I don't completely agree with all of Gladwell's conclusions, I respect his process of achieving them. | 34 stars
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Kindle is Great
It is a very amazing product. I will continue to purchase books via the Kindle. It has answered my problem of what to do with all these books after they are read as I have only a limited amount of space. Thank you.Victoria Menzel | 45 stars
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Love the book
Joseph Girzone is a great writer and makes you think. The Parables are short but truly makes a point and makes you think. Great service | 45 stars
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Read in one sitting, but left unfulfilled
This is a fast, easy read, with just enough good writing to hold your attention...and plenty of undeveloped characters, weak backstory, and unrealistic dialogue to annoy you. After a prologue that basically tells you nothing, the adventure begins. How a lab technician manages to penetrate the Witness Protection Program to find her family is only one of many discrepancies that made me say "Hello? Can we have a dash of reality here?" The enigmatic "fraternidad" is not given enough weight to justify the rest of the plot. That said, it was the kind of enjoyable book that is good to read while commuting on a train - you don't have to pay much attention, and you won't miss your stop. But then you're going to want to read something more substantial afterwards. | 12 stars
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back to basics
This book is an excellent guide for do-it-yourselfers who basically want to start from scratch and build a cost effective house. The author gives plenty of practical cost saving tips throughout the process. I didn't give it 5 stars because I was expecting more insight into the financial structures and more about developing multiple sites as opposed to building your own home and selling it a few years later. This book is easy to read and understand, Chris Condon goes into detail with practical tips and this book is worth a read...at a basic hands on level. Great for speculation builders or for penny pinchers doing their own homes. I have come away with valuable tips after reading the book....its value for money. | 34 stars
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A Dickens of a novel!
The dialect may seem a bit dated, but this short novel could easily become a classic! I might even read it again next December. | 45 stars
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Looking for a quick, entertaining read?
If you are looking for a fun, breezy, easy read . . . this is the book for you! Growing up with two sisters (one older, one younger), I found Frankel's book to be insightful and humorous. There were no indepth realizations or commentaries on the relationship between sisters . . . so if you are looking for something deeper and more meaningful, this is not the book for you. But I loved it -- very fun, humorous, vivid, and entertaining. The banter between the sisters is light-hearted and warm, and their various adventures (which are, of course, not completely realistic . . . but very exciting and interesting! ) are positively page-turning! I finished it quickly (a chapter here and there on the subway each morning) and find myself looking for more books like it. All in all, it is a great read for a vacation, or a plane trip, or a lazy weekend. I highly recommend it. | 34 stars
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interesting biographical fiction
In 2000 London, art dealer Marcus Elliot is hired to write the catalog on the sale of works by the Russian-born artist Madame Zoia. The "painter on gold" is considered the last known survivor of the Bolshevik Court who died one year earlier in Stockholm. Marcus studies her work and her papers as he learns that the Russian painter Zoia "Madame Zoia" Korvin-Krukovskyas was born in 1903 Russia into an aristocratic family. In 1917, the Bolsheviks incarcerated her as they did any of the aristocracy they captured during the Revolution. A communist admirer got her free with her fleeing to Sweden before going to Paris and ultimately returning to live the rest of her life in Sweden.This is an interesting biographical fiction work of Madame Zoia who proved you can go home when Yeltsin welcomed a show on her works in Moscow in 1993. The story line is at its best when it focuses on Madame Zoia's life in Paris, North Africa and Sweden whether it is through her letters of Marcus' musings filling gaps of knowledge. A subplot involving Marcus's family is well written, but feels intrusive from the prime theme of ZOIA'S GOLD that of an entertaining portrayal of a fascinating twentieth century artist, the last known living link to the Tsars.Harriet Klausner | 45 stars
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Spinning a good yarn
When an author attempts to portray the future, the result is usually one of two scenarios: (1) Change is so radical that nothing seems remotely familiar and almost all contact with the past has been lost (think Dune)or (2) The "future" is like the present with more tech toys. Sometimes, as in the case of the unending war sagas of Turtledove, the same action and people emerge despite dramatic changes in history. Moriarty has chosen the second path - slightly modified - and thankfully, he does not have the characters spouting references to the present as is so frequently the habit. I mean, how many times do we bring up the 1600's in our everyday conversation?The novel succeeds in plot and characterization but falls short in setting. (Yeah, I still gave it five stara.) How many seriously think the Palestinian issue will exist in the same form in 400 years or that Orthodox Judaism will be as prevelant as presented here? The science fiction aspects play much better and with substantially more realism. An artificial construct in a human body and a former "peacekeeper" (Cohen and Li, respectively) make up one element of the story. In fact, a separate book about them would be welcome.Arkaday, a "human" bred for racial altruism, homosexuality and sameness with others of his order (noted by letters - "A", "B", etc) has a gift of unprecendented peril - a device/disease that can wipe out the remaining humans on worn-out Earth. The device is connected to the terraforming of a planet (another big secret). Once again, Earth has used its natural resources, lost most of its population and suffers widespread drought (Don't ask.) He offers the Israelis first crack at the device but instead, they put it on the auction block. Two Mossad members form another part of the tale. Behind it all, Absalom, a mysterious secret double agent/traitor/hero (take your pick) pulls the strings of all concerned.A darn good read, very literary and almost poetical in parts. My Grade - A- | 45 stars
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